Hono + Drizzle + tRPC Stack: AI-Optimized Technical Reference

Technology Overview

Core Components:

• Hono: 7KB HTTP framework optimized for edge runtimes
• Drizzle ORM: Type-safe SQL with edge compatibility
• tRPC: End-to-end type safety without GraphQL complexity

Performance Characteristics:

• API Response Times: 10-45ms globally (production verified)
• Cold Start: 50-150ms on edge, 200-500ms on traditional hosting
• Memory Usage: 30MB vs Prisma's 80MB
• Bundle Size: Tiny edge-optimized vs bloated frameworks

Configuration That Works in Production

Version Pinning (Critical)

{
  "dependencies": {
    "hono": "4.6.3",
    "drizzle-orm": "0.44.5", 
    "@trpc/server": "11.5.0"
  }
}

Breaking Point: Auto-updates cause monthly breaking changes. Pin exact versions, not caret ranges.

Database Schema (Drizzle)

// Correct import pattern - breaks if imported separately
import { pgTable, serial, text, integer } from 'drizzle-orm/pg-core';

export const users = pgTable('users', {
  id: serial('id').primaryKey(),
  email: text('email').unique().notNull(),
});

// Type inference without codegen
export type User = typeof users.$inferSelect;

Edge Runtime Configuration

// Critical for edge environments
if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production') {
  neonConfig.fetchConnectionCache = true;
  neonConfig.useSecureWebSocket = false; // Fixes WebSocket issues
}

Critical Failure Modes

TypeScript Compilation Death

• Trigger: tRPC routers with 15+ procedures
• Symptom: 30+ second compilation times
• Solution: Split routers into 10-15 procedure modules
• Band-aid: Set skipLibCheck: true in tsconfig

Edge Runtime Limits

• Memory Limit: 128MB on Cloudflare Workers
• File Upload Limit: 10MB max (50MB crashes with CPU timeout)
• WebSocket Issues: Set useSecureWebSocket: false for production

Database Connection Leaks

• Cause: Missing connection caching in edge environments
• Solution: Enable fetchConnectionCache for production
• Monitor: Implement health checks with response time tracking

CORS Configuration Hell

// Production CORS that works
app.use('*', cors({
  origin: process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production' 
    ? ['https://yourdomain.com'] 
    : ['http://localhost:3000', 'http://localhost:5173'], // Include Vite
  credentials: true,
}));

Resource Requirements

Development Setup Time

• Initial Setup: 30 minutes (3 packages, minimal config)
• Learning Curve: 1-2 weeks for team proficiency
• Migration Time: 3-6 weeks from Express/Prisma stack

Expertise Requirements

• TypeScript: Advanced level required for complex type inference
• SQL Knowledge: Beneficial for complex queries beyond ORM
• Edge Runtime: Understanding of stateless execution models

Cost Implications

• Hosting: Free tier limits can cause surprise bills (HackerNews effect)
• Database: Connection pooling costs in serverless environments
• Monitoring: Basic logging only - advanced monitoring requires additional tools

Implementation Gotchas

File Upload Reality

// Don't use tRPC for uploads - use dedicated Hono endpoint
app.post('/upload', async (c) => {
  const file = formData.get('file') as File;
  if (file.size > 10 * 1024 * 1024) { // 10MB limit
    return c.json({ error: 'File too large' }, 400);
  }
  // Handle upload...
});

Mobile Compatibility

• Issue: React Native cannot consume tRPC directly
• Solution: Maintain parallel REST endpoints
• Shared Logic: Extract business logic into services used by both APIs

Database Migration Strategy

# Generate SQL migrations you control
npx drizzle-kit generate
# Review before applying
cat drizzle/0001_migration.sql
# Apply in deployment pipeline
npx drizzle-kit migrate

Performance Optimization

Query Performance

• N+1 Prevention: Use .with() joins in Drizzle
• Index Requirements: Manual index creation for WHERE clauses
• Logging: Enable query logging to identify slow operations

Bundle Optimization

• Import Strategy: Avoid importing entire libraries (Lodash causes 2MB bundles)
• Edge Constraints: Keep bundles under edge runtime limits
• Cold Start: Workers restart after 15 minutes of inactivity

Monitoring Implementation

// Essential logging middleware
const loggerMiddleware = t.middleware(async ({ path, next }) => {
  const start = Date.now();
  try {
    const result = await next();
    console.log(`✅ ${path}: ${Date.now() - start}ms`);
    return result;
  } catch (error) {
    console.log(`❌ ${path}: ${Date.now() - start}ms - ERROR: ${error.message}`);
    throw error;
  }
});

Decision Matrix

Use This Stack When:

• Building internal tools or SaaS dashboards
• Controlling both frontend and backend
• Need rapid prototyping that scales
• Team comfortable with TypeScript
• Want sub-50ms API responses globally

Avoid This Stack When:

• Need server-side rendering for SEO
• Supporting third-party integrations extensively
• Team resists TypeScript adoption
• Requiring traditional database transactions
• Building public-facing websites

Migration Considerations

• From Express: Gradual router-by-router migration possible
• From Prisma: Schema introspection available but manual cleanup required
• Legacy Databases: Works but expect 3+ days fixing TypeScript errors
• Breaking Changes: Small surface area makes upgrades manageable

Alternatives Comparison

Requirement	This Stack	Next.js + Prisma	Express + TypeORM
Edge Deployment	✅ Optimized	❌ Janky App Router	❌ No edge support
Type Safety	✅ End-to-end	⚠️ Codegen breaks CI	❌ Manual maintenance
Setup Complexity	✅ 3 packages	❌ Configuration hell	⚠️ Moderate pain
Cold Start	✅ 50-150ms	❌ 200-500ms	⚠️ 100-200ms
Database Queries	✅ Raw SQL + ORM	❌ Prisma abstraction limits	✅ Full SQL control

Troubleshooting Guide

Common Error Patterns

1. "WebSocket connection failed": Set useSecureWebSocket: false
2. Slow TypeScript compilation: Split large tRPC routers
3. CORS errors in development: Add Vite port 5173 to origins
4. Database connection timeouts: Enable connection caching
5. File upload crashes: Implement size limits and use dedicated endpoints

Production Debugging

• Enable comprehensive logging at all layers
• Monitor database query performance
• Track edge runtime memory usage
• Implement health check endpoints

Support Resources

• Drizzle Discord: Edge deployment channel for production issues
• tRPC Discord: Direct access to maintainers
• Hono Discord: Deployment and edge runtime support
• Railway Templates: Middle-ground hosting alternative

Real-World Performance Data

Production Metrics (6 months deployment):

• Average API response: 15-45ms globally
• Memory usage: Consistently under 30MB
• Cold start frequency: Every 15 minutes without traffic
• Zero downtime: Edge deployment reliability
• Cost reduction: 70% faster responses vs Express + Prisma

Scaling Thresholds:

• Works well up to 50 tRPC procedures
• Database connections stable with proper caching
• File uploads limited to 10MB on edge
• TypeScript compilation breaks with overly complex routers